Musical instrument



Nov. 2, 1965 R. c. KESTER, JR

MUSICAL INSTRUMENT 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 16, 1964 IYIIIIIH 1 WII I FIG.

FIG. 2

INVENTOR.

RALPH C. KESTER JR. BY

ATTORNEY Nov. 2, 1965 c. KESTER, JR 3,215,020

} MUSICAL INSTRUMENT Filed July 16, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VENTOR.

RALPH C. KESTER. JR.

FIG. 7 BY z j'w fi ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,215,020 MUSICAL INSTRUMENT Ralph C. Kester, Jr., 714 32nd St., South Bend, Ind. Filed July 16, 1964, Ser. No. 383,048 7 Claims. (Cl. 84-411) The. present invention relates to a musical instrument, and more particularly to an instrument for use in conjunction with a conventional cymbal for producing sound effects or variations in tone when the cymbal is tapped or when the two discs of the hi-hat cymbal are engaged.

Various types of devices and improvisations have been made in the past to produce a variety of sounds and sound effects in combination with cymbals, including the use of coins loosely taped to the cymbal, the use of rivets loosely held in holes in the cymbal, and cymbal sizzlers, which vibrate on the cymbal when the cymbal is struck or otherwise operated by the player. These prior devices have been generally unsatisfactory and are limited to a particular sound, such as the sizzling effect created by the rivets. Various attempts have been made to vary, amplify and expand these sounds, but these prior efforts have generally been unsuccessful. It is therefore one of the principal objects of the invention to provide an instrument adapted to be attached to the cymbal holder, which. can be adjusted to give a variety of different sounds and varied in position with respect to the cymbals to produce desired sound effects and which can easily be adjusted between the various positions on or near the cymbal without removing the device from the cymbal holder.

3,215,020 Patented Nov. 2, 1965 FIGURE 7 is a side elevational view of a cymbal and cymbal holder showing the present device mounted thereon in playing position.

Referring more specifically to the drawings and to FIGURE 1 in particular, numeral 10 designates the present musical instrument and, in FIGURES 5 and 6, numeral 12 designates a hi-hat cymbal clutch having cymbals 14 and 16 mounted on cymbal holder 18, the present instrument 10 being mounted on the cymbal holder above the two cymbals on a cylindrical spacer 20. The particular type of cymbal and cymbal holder is not important with respect to the present invention, and this is illustrated in FIGURE 7 where a single cymbal 22 mounted on cymbal holder 24 is shown in use with the present instrument 10, the instrument being held on the cymbal holder by spacer 20 and wing nut 26 threaded on the upper end of the cymbal holder.

The present instrument consists of a ring or frame 30 preferably of .an inverted U-shaped cross sectional configuration, as illustrated in FIGURE 3 with the external sides forming a generally rectangular cross sectional shape. Mounted on ring 30 are a plurality of sound disc units 32, the embodiment in the drawings having eight of these sound disc units equally spaced around the ring 30. The units 32 are identical in construction and size and consist of upper and lower discs 34 and 36, respectively, held loosely on the lower end of screw 38 in Another object of the present invention is to provide a device for producing a distinct and unusual sound effeet on a cymbal, which can be adapted to either the single cymbal or to the hi-hat cymbal, and which can be used in direct contact with the cymbal or in spaced relation thereto to provide distinctly different sound effects during the striking or playing of the cymbal.

A further object of the invention is to provide a rela- 'tively simple, sturdy device for use in conjunction with either the hi-hat or single cymbal instrument, which will produce loud, distinct and unusual sound effects and which is so constructed and arranged that it can be easily mounted on and removed from the cymba-l holder, stored, shipped and handled without any likelihood of damage.

Still another object is to provide a device of the aforesaid type which is so constructed that it will stand long, effective use and abuse without changing its tone characteristics and which can be easily constructed and adjusted to give an effective reproducible sound from one device to another.

Additional objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description and accompanying drawings wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a top plan view of the present musical instrument;

FIGURE 2 is a side elevational view of the musical instrument shown in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged fragmentary cross sectional view of a portion of the present instrument, the section being taken on line 33 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged fragmentary cross sectional view of the present instrument, the section being taken on line 44 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 5 is a side elevational view of a cymbal holder and the present instrument showing the instrument mounted thereon in one position;

FIGURE 6 is a side elevational view of a cymbal holder and the present instrument showing the instrument mounted thereon in another playing position; and

spaced relation to the lower side of ring 30. The screw extends upwardly through a hole 40 in the ring and is preferably threaded through said hole and is held firmly in place by a cap nut 42 threaded onto the upper end of the screw and seating firmly on a resilient washer 44. The two discs 34 and 36 are identical in construction and size, and consist of a curved peripheral portion 46 supported by a center portion 48, having hole 50 which fits loosely around the principal portion of screw 38. The two center portions 48 are placed back to back and are mounted on the screws so that the portion 48 of the lower disc 36 rests on head 38 of the screws. When at rest, the peripheries of the two discs are spaced from one another. With the foregoing construction the two discs 34 and 36 are adapted to vibrate and jingle independently of one another and thereby to create the primary sound effect of the present instrument. The hole 50 in the two center portions of the discs 34 and 36 is sufficiently large to permit the two discs to assume positions at acute angles with respect to the axis of screw 38, as illustrated in FIGURES 6 and 7.

The ring 30 is preferably formed of metal such as steel or aluminum, as are the two discs 34 and 36; however, as a substitute for the ring, various other frame shapes are possible, such as intersecting straight bars which hold the sound disc units in various locations, to permit the sound disc units to perform in the same manner with respect to the cymbal as they do when mounted on the ring.

The ring 30 is mounted on the cymbal holder 18 by a flexible strap 60, preferably of metal, having a center hole 62 for receiving the upper end of the cymbal. This strap is secured to ring 30 by screws 64 and 66 disposed at opposite ends of the strap and extending upwardly through holes in the ring and through one of several holes 68, 70 and 72 in each end of the strap. After the strap has been assembled on the screws, wing nuts 74 and 76 are threaded onto the upper end of the screws to hold the strap firmly in position, either bowed or arched as shown in FIGURE 2 or straight as shown in FIGURE 5.

In operation, the present instrument may be mounted on the cymbal holder in any one of three positions illustrated in FIGURES 5, 6 and 7 resting on spacer 20, and, in the position shown in FIGURE 5, the instrument is mounted on a hi-hat clutch with the sound disc units main- -in the discs to create the desired sound effect.

pending on the vibration transmitted from the cymbal holder and radiating from the cymbal to produce vibration In FIG- URE 6 the sound disc units rest directly on the upper cymbal 14 and vibrate therewith as the device is played either by striking or clashing the cymbals. In FIGURE 7, the instrument is mounted with the sound disc directly on the cymbal in a manner similar to that shown in FIGURE 6, and as the cymbal is struck by the player the discs vibrate, .thus creating sound effects and modifying the sound effect of the cymbal.

While only one embodiment of the present invention has been described herein in detail, various changes and modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the invention.

I claim:

1. An instrument for use in conjunction with a cymbal having a cymbal holder, comprising a ring of U-shaped cross section, eight sound disc units mounted on said ring in equal spaced relation and extending downwardly from said ring in spaced relation to one another, each of said units having an upper and a lower disc with center holes, a screw extending through said holes and being secured to and held firmly in place on said ring, said holes being sufficiently large with respect to said screw to permit the discs to move freely on said screw, said discs having a means, said discs having a curved peripheral portion and curved peripheral portion and a center portion and being placed back to back with the center portions in contact with one another and the outer edges in spaced relation, and a strap extending across said ring and being adjustably secured thereto, said strap having a hole for mounting the-instrument on a cymbal holder.

2. An instrument for use in conjunction with a cymbal having a cymbal holder, comprising a ring, a plurality of sound disc units mounted on said ring in equal spaced relation and extending downwardly from said ring in spaced relation to one another, each of said units having an upper and a lower disc with center holes, a screw extending through said holes and being secured to and held firmly in place on said ring, said holes being sufliciently large with respect to said screw to permit the discs to move freely on said screw, said discs having a curved peripheral portion and a center portion and being placed back to back with the center portions in contact with one another and the outer edges in spaced relation, and a strap extending across said ring and being adjustably secured thereto for mounting the instrument on a cymbal holder.

3. An instrument for use in conjunction with a cymbal having a cymbal holder, comprising a ring, a plurality of sound disc units mounted on said ring and extending downwardly from said ring in spaced relation to one another, each of said units having an upper and a lower disc with center holes, a pin-like support means extending through said holes and being secured to and held firmly in place on said ring, said holes being sufficiently large with respect to said means to permit the discs to move freely on said a center portion and being placed back to back with the center portions in contact with one another and the outer edges in spaced relation, and a means extending across said ring for mounting the instrument on a cymbal holder.

4. An instrument for use in conjunction with a cymbal having a cymbal holder, comprising a ring-shaped frame, a plurality of sound disc units mounted on said frame and extending downwardly from said frame in spaced relation to one another, each of said units having an upper and a lower disc with center holes, a pin-like support means extending through said holes and being secured to and held firmly in place on said frame, said holes being sufliciently large with respect to said means to permit the discs to move freely on said means, and'a means extending across said frame for mounting the instrument on a cymbal holder.

5. An instrument for use in conjunction with a cymbal having a cymbal holder, comprising a ring, a plurality of sound disc units mounted on said ring and extending downwardly from said ring in spaced relation to one another, each of said units having an upper and alower disc with center holes, a pin-like support means extending through said holes and being secured to and held firmly in place on said ring, and a means for mounting the instrument on a cymbal holder.

6. An instrument for use in conjunction with a cymbal having a cymbal holder, comprising a frame, a plurality of sound disc units mounted on said frame and extending downwardly from said frame in spaced relation to one another, each of said units having an upper and a lower disc with center holes, a pin-like support means extending through said holes and being secured to and held firmly in place:on said frame, said discs having a curved peripheral portion and a center portion and being placed face to face with the center portions in contact with one another and the outer edges in spaced relation, and a means for mounting the instrument on a cymbal holder.

7. An instrument for use in conjunction with a cymbal having a cymbal holder, comprising a frame, a plurality of sound disc units mounted on said frame in spaced relation to one another, each of said units having an upper and a lower disc with center holes, a pin-like support means extending through said holes and being secured to and held firmly in place on said frame, and a means for mounting the instrument on a cymbal holder. 1

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 356,767 2/87 Hoseus 84-418 1,434,278 10/22 Barry 84-418 3,009,379 11/61 Thomas 84-422 X 3,141,370 7/64 Ross 84-402 FOREIGN PATENTS 20,973 12/89 Great Britain.

LEO SMILOW, Primary Examiner. 

1. AN INSTRUMENT FOR USE IN CONJUNCTION WITH A CYMBAL HAVING A CYMBAL HOLDER, COMPRISING A RING OF U-SHAPED CROSS SECTION, EIGHT SOUND DISC UNITS MOUNTED ON SAID RING IN EQUAL SPACED RELATION AND EXTENDING DOWNWARDLY FROM SAID RING IN SPACED RELATION TO ONE ANOTHER, EACH OF SAID UNITS HAVING AN UPPER AND A LOWER DISC WITH CENTER HOLES, A SCREW EXTENDING THROUGH SAID HOLES AND BEING SECURED TO AND HELD FIRMLY IN PLACE ON SAID RING, SAID HOLES BEING SUFFICIENTLY LARGE WITH RESPECT TO SAID SCREW TO PERMIT THE DISCS TO MOVE FREELY ON SAID SCREW, SAID DISCS HAVING A CURVED PERIPHERAL PORTION AND A CENTER PORITON AND BEING PLACED BACK TO BACK WITH THE CENTER PORTIONS IN CONTACT WITH ONE ANOTHER AND THE OUTER EDGES IN SPACED RELATIONL AND A STRAP EXTENDING ACROSS SAID RING AND BEING ADJUSTABLY SECURED THERETO, SAID STRAP HAVING A HOLE FOR MOUNTING THE INSTRUMENT ON A CYMBAL HOLDER. 